Breakfast Dads – Lambros
Have you met Lambros?
He’s one of the kind, gentle owners over at our Hays Boulevard, Oakville Sunset Grill location. You might remember him from his days operating the Cornwall Road, Oakville store.
He’s been with the brand for about a decade and brings with him years of restaurant experience and has an immense passion for what he does.
“It’s something that you can’t get out of you, I don’t know if it’s a Greek thing or what,” he laughed.
Lambros, Franchise Owner at the Hays Blvd., Oakville Sunset Grill.
Much like his brother-in-law, Terry, Lambros thought he was out of the restaurant scene until he stumbled upon Sunset Grill. With the balanced lifestyle it offered him, it was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass up.
“From a restaurant aspect, this is probably your best life / family balance,” he explained.
The operation truly is a family affair for Lambros – his cousin Betty, brother Bill, mother-in-law Poppy, and other relatives all work at the restaurant.
“Whenever I hire staff, I always tell them, we’re a family business, even though we’re a franchise, we don’t want people to feel like we’re a franchise,” said Lambros. “It is a local, family-run business. We want the atmosphere to feel like a family business.”
He attributes much of the restaurant’s success to that key philosophy. Most of his staff are tenured members of the greater Sunset Grill family and bring with them a positive attitude and commitment to going the extra mile for their guests.
“When you’re serving good people, and when you have the right people serving them, success is almost an automatic,” said Lambros.
“Having good people walk into your store and having good staff around you makes your life so much easier and more enjoyable,” he said.
And although operating a restaurant can present a unique set of challenges on a day-to-day basis, Lambros keeps a level-head and tries to stay positive.
“I am a true believer… if you want positive energy around you and you show that positive energy, that positive energy is going to come back,” he shared.
“If you think good things, good things are going to happen, if you stay positive, good things are going to happen for you.”
Lambros, his wife, and three children – Maria, Savvas and Poppy.
And they very much do for Lambros. In fact, he and the Cornwall Road crew won the lottery once. You read that right. Unfortunately, it wasn’t nearly enough to retire on, however, he still maintains that as one of the most memorable moments of his time there.
When Lambros isn’t busy serving up breakfast at the restaurant, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids – Maria, 9, Savvas, 7, and Poppy, 5 – at home.
His oldest daughter, Maria, asked him what he wanted for Father’s Day this year. “I always ask for the same thing: good kids that listen,” he laughed. “My daughter turned to me and said, ‘be realistic, dad.’”
“My kids still run up to me to this day and give me a big hug when I get home,” he said with a smile. “That feeling of knowing they missed me, they’re looking forward to spending time with me, it’s a great feeling, feeling that love.”
In his downtime, he enjoys a nice glass of wine and spending time in his backyard. “I like the simple things,” he said. “Good food, company, a little time to myself to be outside and do some yard work and have some peace.”
He admits it’s been hard to find those moments of peace in a world full of uncertainty, however, he’s always looking on the bright side of life.
“I feel people are under a lot more stress and pressure these days because it’s hard to plan for tomorrow when you don’t know what’s going to happen today,” he explained.
“We’ve been playing catch up…it’s been a rollercoaster ride for the hospitality industry,” said Lambros.
“The fact that we are busy and open again, it’s a great feeling. There is a lot of catching up to do, but we’re getting there, we’re moving forward.”
The next time you’re in Oakville, be sure to stop by Sunset Grill and say hi to Lambros and his wonderful team!
Go-To Breakfast: Chicken Greek Salad or Veggie Omelette with Swiss Cheese
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Lambros is part of this year’s Father’s Day profile series highlighting Breakfast Dads – the hard-working, dedicated dads that make up the many faces of the Sunset Grill community.
STORE INFORMATION
Dundas St. E. & Trafalgar Rd.
266 Hays Blvd.,
Oakville, ON, L6H 7P3
Monday to Friday 6:30 AM to 3 PM
Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 3:30 PM
